LA PLATA, Md. (December 21, 2011)—For six College of Southern Maryland students who completed one of the colleges non-credit programs for the trades, it is smooth sailing into an apprenticeship program with the Navy.

CSM has been working on developing a formal apprenticeship program for the Naval Facilities Command (NAVFAC) over the last two years, said CSM Executive Director of Workforce Development Susan Ross. The program has been approved by the Maryland Apprenticeship Council and we are ready to provide a steady stream of qualified students who have completed HVAC, electrical, carpentry, welding and, soon, plumbing programs.

The partnership is already showing results as NAVFAC has interviewed CSM boot camp completers and has selected 10 to become paid apprentices, said Ross. They will work for NAVFAC as they move through the apprenticeship program toward becoming journeymen, said Ross, adding that NAVFAC will cover all training expenses.

Recruitment was great, said NAVFAC Washington Apprentice Coordinator Katy Rittle. The candidates from CSM were very motivated and interested in our program.

Since beginning the trades boot camps as part of the colleges Career Starters program, 69 electrical, 97 HVAC and 69 welding students have received certificates of completion. The program includes carpentry and began offering a plumbing boot camp in November.

Partnering with unions and organizations that are seeking qualified workers has helped our students move to the front of the hiring line, said Ross. CSM has added OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and first-aid training courses as requirements to certification, taking that responsibility off the shoulders of union employers and making our students more competitive job applicants.

Currently, CSM has partnerships with the Washington, D.C. Building Trades Council, the Mid-Atlantic Carpenters Training Centers, Triton Metals, and Duncan and Shapiro.

A Career Starters Open House for the trades will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Jan. 19 at CSMs Center for Trades and Energy Training in Waldorf.